Mufi's Message, September 7th

 HLTA's 191st General Membership Meeting: 
Featuring Governor David Ige and 
​Lieutenant Gubernatorial Candidate Senator Josh Green

As our 191st General Membership Meeting (GMM) rapidly approaches, HLTA staff and I have been hard at work developing the program and will continue to update the membership on our GMM Calendar of Events.

I am pleased to announce that Friday’s Lunch and Learn will feature HLTA-endorsed Lieutenant Gubernatorial candidate Senator Josh Green, and a featured panel on Hawaiian culture by Kumu Hulas Robert Cazimero, Vicky Holt Takamine, and Michael Pili Pang. Governor David Ige will address our membership at Saturday’s Lunch and Learn, and will be followed by a special visitor industry presentation from Jerry Gibson, Vice President & Managing Director of Turtle Bay Resort.

I hope that you are all registered to attend our GMM, and have confirmed your rooms at the Four Seasons Resort O’ahu at Ko Olina. Our special room block will close on Monday, September 10th, and with it will go our HLTA-exclusive rates. I would be remiss if I did not remind you all to book while you can.

To reserve your Four Seasons experience, please call 844-387-0308 and mention “HLTA.”
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Ala Wai Canal A Concern and the latest on "Olivia" 

​On the subject of the hurricane, most of the state dodged the worst of the storm, but the Big Island and parts of Maui and Kaua‘i were not spared the heavy rains and windy conditions. With hotels indicating that reservation cancellations are continuing and businesses in general being down, Hawai‘i Tourism Authority needs to redouble its marketing and promotion efforts in our major markets, reassuring prospective visitors that Kaua‘i and especially Hawai‘i Island are open for business. Also, during the lead-up to the hurricane, my thoughts kept turning to the plight of Ala Wai Canal.

Since 2001, we’ve known that Congress appropriated $345 million for an Ala Wai flood mitigation plan, with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and local government leading the way. According to the corps, they’ve been warning of the flooding danger for years, and estimates that it could damage 3,000 structures, cost more than $1 billion in repairs, and jeopardize the Waikīkī visitor industry and tens of thousands of workers, not to mention the residents who would be placed in harm’s way. Now, more than ever, we need to develop a proactive canal flood mitigation plan with the corps, state and county leaders, and key stakeholders within the community getting involved to provide input. This long-overdue endeavor should be on the front burner of everyone’s to-do list.

Speaking of hurricanes: as we bid farewell to Lane and Norman, we foresee another threat headed our way.   “Olivia” is currently a Category 2 Hurricane traveling towards the Central Pacific Basin just over 1,300 miles away from our islands.  Olivia is expected to continuously weaken as it heads in our direction over the weekend and will likely approach us as a tropical storm by next week Tuesday. 

According to the National Hurricane Center, Olivia is forecasted to pass directly through our islands with anticipated landfall of Wednesday (September 12) morning.  We highly encourage you all to stay vigilant through the upcoming week, and to put into practice lessons learned from Lane.  We will keep you apprised of new information as Olivia shifts closer to our state.  

Honoring Dean Gee's 85th Birthday 

​As the leading industry in the state, tourism has had many great leaders. Few have had as much of an impact as UH TIM Dean emeritus Chuck Gee, who recently celebrated his 85th birthday. Last week, at a special reception in his honor at Dole Cannery , Dean  Nakasone ( a proud TIM alum ) and I were gratified to see so many of Dean Gee’s mentees, TIM School graduates and members of the industry assembled to celebrate the profound impact he has made on tourism here in Hawaii and the Pacific region. 

During his tenure as the longest-serving dean of the TIM School (from 1976-1999), his influence and contributions to travel industry management not only here in Hawaii, but internationally as well, has been incredible. I also have had the choice opportunity of working with him closely on a number of projects when I was wearing my government hat and shared some of my experiences that evening when I spoke to the group. He was a Pacific Asia Travel Association Gallery of Legends honoree in 2014. The reception proceeds were donated to the C. Yim Gee Sustainable Tourism Research Fund, a testament to Chuck’s lifelong commitment to tourism.

Waikiki Community Center Celebrates 40 Years 

​Last night, the Hawaii Lodging & Tourism Association joined the Waikiki Community Center ( WCC) in celebration of their 40th anniversary at their Waikiki Lights Gala, which took place at the Hilton Hawaiian Village Waikiki Beach Resort & Spa.  I was honored on stage alongside many of our members as the Waikiki Community Center recognized organizations and businesses that have been in existence  for over four decades.

We were glad to have helped sponsor the event, which also featured music by Henry Kapono, and words from former Governor George Ariyoshi, who presided over the opening of WCC in 1978.Mahalo to the Waikiki Community Center for all your hard work and dedication through the years and continued best wishes in the years to come.